Papua New Guinea get green light to join NRL
THE NRL is set to introduce a 19th team, with Papua New Guinea reportedly to enter the rugby league competition from 2028.
According to News Limited, a 600m deal has been reached in principal between the NRL and the ALP, which is the governing party in Australia at the moment.
Papua New Guinea is expected to be based out of Port Moresby and will debut the season after the NRL’s 18th team, which could be based of Perth and called the Western Bears, begins competing in 2027.
The PNG team is likely to feature many of the pacific country’s internationals, with the outfit ranked seventh in the world, and capable of rolling most teams.
The NRL had long been rumoured to be seeking federal funds to expand to Papua New Guinea, and with Anthony Albanese’s government attempting to grow their influence in the region a rugby league team looks like an ideal way to do it.
NRL chairman Peter V’landys has spoken positively about the prospects of a PNG team joining the competition, with the NRL already having a large footprint in the pacific.
A PNG team has been playing in the second-tier Queensland Cup for several seasons, with the outfit sitting mid-table this year, and having to overcome some serious logistical problems, including civil unrest.
The likely go-ahead of the taxpayer funded $600million 19th NRL team comes at an awkward time for Albanese and the ALP, with polls showing the cost of living crisis being front and centre in Australians minds.
Big spending on the likes of a new AFL stadium in Tasmania, the Commonwealth Games in Victoria (which has since been cancelled) and even the Olympics in Brisbane (set for 2032) have all been hot topics in public discourse.
“This is a game changer for our relationship with Papua New Guinea,” Prime Minister Anthony Albanese told Newscorp earlier this year.
“The aim would be for any government funding to be aimed at economic development in schools. It’s not just for the NRL team and to pay Alex Johnston (Souths winger) to play for PNG.
“We’re definitely behind the NRL bid and, importantly, Prime Minister (James) Marape in PNG is very much behind an NRL team.
“To have a PNG NRL team, we would need to get the pathway and infrastructure right. It’s an important part of economic development and getting young people engaged in PNG.”
The NRL Finals continue this weekend with the Sharks and Cowboys playing on Friday night and Roosters and Sea Eagles clashing on Saturday night.
